Improvement in valves



` n. PETERS, PHOTOMTHUGHAPHER. WASHINGTON. u. c.

i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.` JOHN WEST, OF BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA.

IM PROVEM ENT IN VALVES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 109,476, dated November22, 1870.

To all 'whom it may concern.'

BeitknownthatI,JoHNWEsT,ofBethlehem, in the county of Northampton, Stateof Penn Sylvania, have invented an Improved Valve, of which thefollowing isa specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in valves to be operated againstthe pressure of steam, water, gases, or other fluids or liquids in achamber or chest, my improved valve being provided with a supplementaryor release valve, and being otherwise so constructed as to be nearlybalanced when the valve is closed.

The main object of my invention is to avoid the defects of double-seatedor double-disk, or, as they are termed, double-seat valves, which, owingto unequal expansion, are liable to leak, as fully explainedhereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of myimproved valve, and Fig. 2 a plan view of thesame.

A is an annular seat, secured to the edge of an opening, a, into whichsteam, water, gas, or other fluid or liquid has to be admitted; and B isan inverted cup-shaped valve, the lower beveled edge of which is adaptedto a similarlybeveled bearing on the seat A.

C is a circular plate or disk, over which the Valve fits snugly, but soas to slide freely, this disk being in the present instance united byany desired number of webs, E, to the annular seat A, the webs radiatingfrom a central hub, d, which receives and guides the operatingvalve-spindle G. The disk, however, may be supported independently ofthe seat, or in any manner which theapplication of the valve may suggestas the most appropriate.l On this spindle is a small supplementary orrelease valve, H, adapted to a seat on the edge of an opening in the topof the main valve B, to-which is secured the guide I for thevalve-spindle, this guide being so arranged as to permit the spindle andits valve H to have a limited vertical play-'independently of the saidmain valve.

The valve,withits seat,is supposed to be contained in a chamber orchest, to which steam, water, gases, or other uids or liquids, underpressure, have free admission. On raising the spindle G the valve H willbe elevated from its seat, and the iuids or liquids will enter the spacebetween the top of the main valve and. the disk O before the said mainvalve is disturbed. Hence when the valve H comes in contact with theguide I, and the upward movement of the spindle is continued to raisethe said main valve, all the resistance the spindle meets with is theweight ot' the valve itself in addition to a pressure of the fluid orliquid on the limited annular area ot' the valve at its seat, whereas inthe absence ot' the supplementary or release valve, and in case thespindle should be connected directly to the main valve, pressure wouldbe exerted on the entire area of the same to resist its upwardmovelnent. In other words, my improved valve is so nearly balanced whenit has to be elevated that the valve-spindle and the mechanism foroperating the same may be light and inexpensive, while the consumptionof power to operaie the valve will be immaterial. In this rcsp'ect`myimproved valve possesses all the advantagesof the well-known double-seatvalvethat is, a valve which is nearly lbalanced by having two seats. Adouble-seat valve,lhow ever, is defective in this respect, although itmay be ground perfectly true to both seats in the first instance, theexpansion of the valve and its seats may be unequal, and hence, while itbears tightly on one seat, it may be free from contact with the other,and consequently may permitleakage there. My improved balanced valve,or, as it may be termed, single-seat valve, has but one seat, so that noleakage can occur. On raising the main valve the iiuid or liquid willhave a free passage between the lower edge of the valve and its seat,and past the web E to the opening a, and on depressing lthe spindle themain valve will come in con-l tact with its seat before thesupplementary valve reaches 'its seat.

` I claim- The mainvalve B and its supplementary or release valve H,attached to the operatingspindle, and having a limited movementindependently of the main valve, in combination with the plate or diskO, or other resisting medium, to

the space between which and the top of the said main valve steam orother fluid is admitted on raising the supplementary valve.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribin g witnesses.

JOHN WEST.

